Newbie - tadpole trike questions

[Benpointer]

Hi there,

I am hoping some of you can help. I am a paraplegic and use a Varna handcyle regularly (see picture) but I am seriously thinking of buying tadpole trike and converting it to hand cranks (not straightforward but I have a plan!)

My reasons for ditching this handcycle are:

• It's very unstable at speed - it effectively seems to have negative caster, so tends to get a speed wobble - hence I never go above 30mph.

• The seating is very uncomfortable.

• It doesn't fold or easily dismantle, to put in a car.

From my research I was thinking of looking for a ICE Sprint or Adventure (or Q or T). My questions are:

• How stable are they at speed?

• Disc brakes or drum what are the pros and cons? (I'm imagining the front wheels are easier to remove with drum brakes)

• I know that some fold but some don't - can the ones that don't fold be fitted in a large estate (Passat) with the wheels off?

Finally, is anyone thinking of selling one? I might be interested!

Thanks!

[Tigerbiten]

Welcome to the forum.

I'd be more inclined to go for a ready made trike like a Hase Handbike -> https://hasebikes.com/104-1-Special-Nee ... dbike.html
If you are going to try and convert something like an ICE trike, then I'd give them a phone call and see if it's been done before and how easy it was.

The lower the seat is, the more stable it will be but the harder it will be to get on and off.
As for how stable they are, you need to learn their limits but it should be above 25 mph unless you're on a bad adverse camber.

As for putting it in a car, it's may be easier to just take the seat off and slide the frame in on it's wheels.
With 20" wheels all round that will make the max height at around 24", depending on how high the steering is.

Luck ..........

[OldBloke]

Have a look at the Greenspeed: https://greenspeed-trikes.com/hand-magnum.html

OB

[squeaker]

From my research I was thinking of looking for a ICE Sprint or Adventure (or Q or T). My questions are:

• 1) How stable are they at speed?

• 2) Disc brakes or drum what are the pros and cons? (I'm imagining the front wheels are easier to remove with drum brakes)

Both Sprint 26 and ICE 'T' in our garage:
1) Very, but anything with no / minimal suspension is going to get lively at speed on rough roads... Based on my experience, lifting a wheel would be far more likely on the Adventure (higher seat); all my inadvertent 2 wheeling has been done at less than 10mph.
2) Drums every time: zero maintenance, better aerodynamics, no sharp edges
HTH

[photobike]

Ben at Kinetics in Glasgow has a fair degree of experience in all things Recumbent Trike including having done some Handtrike electric conversions. As it happens he has a secondhand electric Hase Kettweisel handtrike on the site at the moment https://www.kinetics-online.co.uk/category/for-sale/ and some of the conversions can be found at https://www.kinetics-online.co.uk/?s=handcycle

In any event he may be able to recommend or supply/fit/adapt/build as required what you might need along with likely having thought through the issues and what does and doesn't work

[hercule]

You will get a Sprint or a Q into the back of a Passat no problem, you will need to take the seat off though. I can fit my VTX in the back of our Skoda Octavia without any bother at all - it’s substantially lower so no need to take the seat off (rear wheel sits between front seats).

We got a Kettwiesel in my old Citroen C5 entire apart from shrinking the pedal boom a bit.

ICE trikes are all very stable, my VTX sticks to the road like it’s been glued down.

[Benpointer]

Hey there - thanks for all the replies so far - very helpful.

I'll have a think about the Hase on Kinetics but part of this is wanting to have new project (I'm retired, so always looking for new engineering and DIY projects!).

Thanks

[[XAP]Bob]

Hi there,

I am hoping some of you can help. I am a paraplegic and use a Varna handcyle regularly (see picture) but I am seriously thinking of buying tadpole trike and converting it to hand cranks (not straightforward but I have a plan!)

IMG_0318.jpeg

My reasons for ditching this handcycle are:

• It's very unstable at speed - it effectively seems to have negative caster, so tends to get a speed wobble - hence I never go above 30mph.

• The seating is very uncomfortable.

• It doesn't fold or easily dismantle, to put in a car.

From my research I was thinking of looking for a ICE Sprint or Adventure (or Q or T). My questions are:

• How stable are they at speed?

• Disc brakes or drum what are the pros and cons? (I'm imagining the front wheels are easier to remove with drum brakes)

• I know that some fold but some don't - can the ones that don't fold be fitted in a large estate (Passat) with the wheels off?

Finally, is anyone thinking of selling one? I might be interested!

Thanks!

I have one with rear suspension and an e-assist that I am looking at selling.

In terms of your questions:
- Very stable, you *can* flip them, but it's hard. I don't know how much you can use your core to lean into a turn.
- Discs/Drums. If the SA dynamo drum existed I would have stayed with drums. Both will give you good stopping power. Drums are a bit lower maintenance, and provide a touch less bite, but it's not a massive difference in either direction (having used both).
- Taking the seat off is probably more important. I used to fit the sprint into a grand scenic with driver, passenger, two kids in the back (the middle seat being removable was a real help).


Where are you based?

[Benpointer]

Post deleted, now I have learned how to edit

[Benpointer]

@[XAP]Bob I am based in Dorset, but happy to travel a reasonable distance.

PS I can use my core pretty well to lean into turns, to answer your last question.